US in K65bn secondary schools construction project
The United States government intends to provide up to $90 million (K65.4 billion) for building secondary schools across Malawi under the US Government’s new Secondary Education Expansion for Development (Seed) initiative.
A statement issued by the US Embassy yesterday states that US Ambassador Virginia Palmer, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Emmanuel Fabiano, and USAid Mission Director Littleton Tazewell signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Lilongwe.
Speaking after the signing of the MOU, Palmer said the US government plans to expand existing secondary schools and install new secondary schools throughout Malawi and also provide additional funding to provide youth-friendly health services as part of its efforts to combat HIV.
Palmer observed: “Studies have shown that for every year a girl attends secondary school, her risk of contracting HIV throughout her lifetime decreases,” she said.
On his part, Msaka said he was excited to sign the MoU on the expansion of secondary education.
He said: “This is an important subsector that will drive the economy of this country as graduates from this level go into different strands of development.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Affairs Emmanuel Fabiano said: “It is most gratifying for Malawi to have the US Government to partner with the Malawi Government in empowering the youth with education. This will contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of Malawi,” he said.
